By Paula Pant
George is a worried baby boomer, wondering if today’s generation is drowning in the noise of today’s financial landscape. How does one find a balance between information and overload?
Heather is stunned by the notion that renting could make more financial sense than buying. Where she’s from, the numbers seem to always swing in favor of owning. What’s she missing?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
The biggest trade shake-up in 135 years is happening right now.
April brought tariff levels that economists say haven’t been seen since the 1890s, creating ripple effects throughout the economy.
We’re seeing a stark disconnect between official economic data and how people feel about their financial future.
While the economy added 177,000 jobs in April — beating forecasts — consumer confidence has plummeted to alarming levels.
Almost 70 percent of Americans now expect higher unemployment ahead, despite the strong job numbers.
The tariffs have triggered some unexpected behaviors. Companies rushed to import goods before prices increased, which ironically pushed the trade deficit to record levels.
Consumers went on buying sprees for cars, computers, and other expensive items, fearing they’d soon cost much more.
Meanwhile, inflation expectations have surged to their highest levels in decades.
What does this mean for investors? Bond markets reacted dramatically, with Treasury yields posting one of the sharpest spikes on record mid-April before settling back down.
The dollar weakened significantly, and economists have raised recession probability to 45 percent — up from 30 percent just last month.
Small businesses are feeling the uncertainty too.
After initial optimism about potential tax cuts and deregulation, their expectations have soured amid concerns about how tariffs might hurt smaller firms disproportionately.
Market volatility has hit retirement savers particularly hard. We take a call from a listener named Johanna who shared that she lost 30 percent of her portfolio due to recent tariff-related swings.
She’s wondering whether she’s still “Coast FIRE” — even when market shocks alter her retirement math.
Join us as we break down April’s economic data, explain what’s behind the market volatility, and discuss what these historic tariffs might mean for your money in the months ahead.
By Paula Pant
Bethany’s partner wants to invest most of their money in gold and silver, but no one seems to talk about this kind of investing. Is this a red flag or a potential opportunity?
Diana is worried she’s been saving too much for her kids’ college – hundreds of dollars a month since they were born. How does she know when to stop?
Wendy’s pension and social security will cover all her basic expenses during retirement. Does the four percent rule still apply to her discretionary nest egg, or is there another approach?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
An anonymous caller is brooding over a mistake he made in 2023 when he decided to contribute to his Roth instead of a pre-tax account. How does he get over this?
June is annoyed that she triggered short-term capital gains and wash sales when she sold assets in her taxable brokerage last year. How does she avoid these issues in the future?
Zerai wants to add mid and small-cap exposure, but his 457 plan has a limited selection of mutual funds. What’s the proper way to select the best fund among the available options?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Kimmy is worried that her mom’s retirement portfolio is invested too conservatively. Is she right to advise her to take on more risk?
Peyton has heard the financial advice about staying away from Whole Life Insurance as an investment, but what about as a savings account for children? Is there good a use case for this?
Jeff and his wife are in a great financial position, but they fear that their retirement savings are too heavily apportioned in traditional IRAs. Will they run into tax problems in the future?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Michael rebalances his portfolio every year. But he’s worried that triggering capital gains taxes on his brokerage account will cancel out the benefits of reallocation. Is there a better approach?
Sam has an opportunity to switch jobs, but she’s confused about how an Employee Stock Ownership Plan stacks against her current employer’s 401(k). Is she […]
By Paula Pant
Contrary to recent discussions, Jesse has concluded that a traditional IRA is the smarter way to go for most people once marginal tax rates are factored in. Is he missing something?
An anonymous caller is four years away from early retirement but she’s unsure if her portfolio allocations are in the right place. How and when should she start converting equities to cash?
Luz is confused about how to handle company stock options. Is there an ideal spread between the exercise price and the stock price? And, what should she do once the stocks are exercised?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these three questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Todd is in a real estate bind. He found out six days before closing on a new home that it wasn’t legally sellable. And renters are moving into his current home in two weeks. What should he do?
Anonymous is excited about expanding her real estate portfolio. Should she sell her $2.5 million rental property in the Bay Area to do this, or can she keep it and leverage the equity instead?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these two questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Kelsey is excited about investing along the efficient frontier, but it feels impossible with the lack of fund options in her employer-sponsored 401k. What’s the best way to deal with this problem?
Molly discovered that her rollover from a 401k to a traditional IRA hadn’t been invested in mutual funds and was still in a money market fund. Manually calculating her net worth helped her identify this oversight, and she shares her experience with us.
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle this in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Krish is fascinated by cryptocurrency and its impact on global investing. What opportunities should he capitalize on, and how?
Apar’s income has more than doubled after he started his own business. His advisor recommends Roth contributions but he’s skeptical due to his high income. Who’s right?
Keith is frustrated by the conflicting advice he’s heard about Roth conversions. Is it better to do it while he’s young and earning a lower income, or should he wait until closer to retirement?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these three questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
